U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley criticized Russia Friday following “credible reports” that the country is violating the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions on North Korea.
“Credible reports of Russia violating UN Security Council resolutions on North Korean laborers working abroad are deeply troubling,” Haley said in an official statement. “These reports are especially concerning as they come just one month after Russia refused to acknowledge North Korea’s violations of the UN oil cap and blocked a United States request to enforce sanctions and put a stop to it.”
The Wall Street Journal found Thursday that Russia was issuing fresh work permits to thousands of North Korean workers despite the UN Security Council specifically banning the issuance of new work permits to North Korean laborers.
“Since the ban, more than 10,000 new North Korean workers have registered in Russia, according to Russian Interior Ministry records reviewed by The Wall Street Journal,” the Journal reported. “Meanwhile, at least 700 new work permits have been issued to North Koreans this year, according to Labor Ministry records.”
They also found that Russia may be violating a sanction on joint ventures with North Korea.
"Russian government records also show that some companies hiring North Koreans are joint ventures with North Korean entities," they noted, "an apparent violation of sanctions banning 'all joint ventures or cooperative entities' with North Korean companies and citizens."
“Until we see the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea there can be no easing of sanctions,” Haley concluded in her statement. “Talk is cheap – Russia cannot support sanctions with their words in the Security Council only to violate them with their actions.”